Terms and conditions

Thank you for entrusting the care and attention of your pet to Mark Nelson Vets. This document details our Practice Terms and Conditions. By
registering your pet/pets with the practice you agree that you have read
and understood our conditions of business and agree to be bound by them,
should you require any clarification of any aspect of the terms then please
ask.

FEE LEVELS

All fees, diets and drug charges are available on request and are subject
to VAT at the current rate. Fee levels are determined by the levels of
expertise and time spent on a case and according to drugs, consumables and
materials used. A member of staff will be happy to discuss any queries you
may have.

SETTLEMENT TERMS

Payment is due at the time of treatment or discharge unless alternative
arrangements have been agreed in advance. Should an account not be settled
a reminder will be sent. Should it be necessary for further reminders to be
sent, administration charges will be incurred. After due notice, unpaid
accounts will be referred to our debt collection agency and further
charges, such as for the production of reports, correspondence, court fees,
attendance at court and phone calls will be levied in respect of costs
incurred in collecting the debt. While it is our policy to co-operate with
our clients whenever possible, if payment is not made in accordance with
our terms, then debts will be escalated for further action and may include
to the County Court to issue proceedings. Any cheque or credit/debit card
transaction not honoured or any cash tendered that is found to be
counterfeit will result in the account being restored to the original sum
with further charges added to cover bank charges and administrative costs.

If the debt is a business to business debt, then we will pursue payment of
all charges and interest to which we are entitled under the Late Payment of
Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 including our Administrative costs. If
outstanding accounts are referred for legal proceedings the Court Fees and
Legal Costs will also be claimed.

INABILITY TO PAY

If for any reason, you are unable to settle your account as specified, we
ask you to discuss the matter with a member of staff, as soon as possible
and before treatment takes place. Please note that instalments or part
payment of any account may be sanctioned with the express permission of a
senior member of staff but any such arrangement must be agreed before
treatment takes place. Emergency treatment to alleviate suffering will
always be given irrespective of ability to pay.

METHODS OF PAYMENT

Accounts are due for settlement at the end of the consultation, the
discharge of your pet or upon collection of drugs and/or diets. You may
settle your accounts using cash or credit/debit cards. Card payments can be
taken over the phone for your convenience. BACS payments are to be paid to
the bank account shown on the foot of your invoice, and should include as
an account’s reference your surname and postcode. If you can’t find it,
please call your local practice.

ESTIMATES OF TREATMENT COSTS

We will have provided you a written estimate as to the probable costs of a
course of treatment or surgical procedure. Please bear in mind that any
estimate given can only be approximate and additional costs which cannot be
predicted at the outset may occur as treatments progresses. We will make
every reasonable effort to discuss any such additional costs wherever
possible. Written estimates are valid for one month and as they are
estimates only, they may not reflect the final costs incurred.

PET HEALTH INSURANCE

Mark Nelson Vets strongly supports the principle of insuring your pet
against unexpected illness and accidents. Please ask for details about
insurance from any member of staff but be aware though that with any
insurance company it is your responsibility to determine your level of
cover and then to reclaim any fees you have paid the practice. It is also
your responsibility to pay any excess that may be set according to your
policy and to have knowledge of any condition exclusions. In certain
instances, when clients do not have the funds to make payments in full,
arrangements can be made for your insurer to make their payment directly to
us but this only applies to particular insurance companies and even then,
when sums involved are high enough. Please ask for details if you would
like to be considered for this facility.

Agreement of a direct claim does not transfer liability of fees incurred to
the practice. If at any point the insurer refuses payment for a direct
claim, the owner will still be fully liable for all costs incurred. The
insurance policy is a private agreement between the owner and insurer. The
practice cannot be involved in disputes over non-payment of insurance
claims. We allow 30 days from completion of claim form to receiving
settlement. Should the insurer not settle within that time period, the
owner may be required to settle the outstanding fees in full.

VACCINATION REMINDERS

Whilst we make every reasonable effort to send out reminders for annual
vaccinations, the responsibility to keep them up to date remains with you.
Please be aware that PETS passports require rabies vaccination boosters so
please keep a personal record of when this is due.

HOME VISITS

In an emergency, it is usually in the best interest of your pet to be seen
at the surgery where facilities and a full range of drugs are available. It
is not normally possible to carry out home visits. Where an estimate is
given, a 50% deposit may be required prior to commencement/ continuation of
the proposed treatment plan. Full payment of the estimate is required for
caesarean sections.

PHARMACEUTICALS

A. Prescriptions are available from the practice. The current charge for a
written prescription is displayed in our reception areas or you may ask a
member of staff for this information. You may obtain Prescription Only
Medicines, Category V, (POMVs) from your veterinary surgeon or ask for a
prescription and obtain these medicines from another veterinary surgeon or
a pharmacy. Your veterinary surgeon may prescribe POMVs only for animals
under his or her care. A prescription may not be appropriate if your animal
is an in-patient or immediate treatment is necessary. You will be informed,
on request, of the price of any medicine that may be prescribed for your
animal. The policy of this practice is to re-assess an animal requiring
prescriptions every three months, but this may vary with individual
circumstances. The charge for this re-examination is our standard
consultation fee. Flea and worm treatments can however be dispensed without
examination as part of a health plan agreed at the annual health
assessment. Clients are requested to give 24 hours’ notice for repeat
prescriptions.

B. We strongly advise the regular use of routine anti-parasitic medication.
Many of these products are POMVs and legally we are only able to dispense
such products without the need of an examination when an animal has been
examined by a Veterinary Surgeon in the last 12 months. We may therefore be
required to examine your pet prior to dispensing. To assist our clients,
when the patient is just examined for the purpose of dispensing routine
anti-parasitic treatment there is no charge for a consultation. Should
clinical matters or a skin condition for which treatment is necessary arise
out of that examination then a consultation fee will be incurred at this
time.

C. In accordance with the Medicines Act we will always use a veterinary
licenced product. Should this not be available we will then use veterinary
products licenced for use in other species and failing that a human medical
product. Any use of off-licence medication will be based upon or knowledge
of its use in animals and an assessment made of the risk and benefits
involved. This is particularly common in species other than dogs and cats
for which few licenced products are available. Please speak to a veterinary
surgeon if you have any concerns about this issue.

EMERGENCY COVER

In an emergency call your normal practice and you will be directed to the
appropriate emergency provider.

OWNERSHIP OF RECORDS

The care given to your pet may involve undertaking some specific
investigations, for example taking radiographs. The ownership of the
resulting radiographs and all other records will remain at all times with
the practice as part of the complete and comprehensive records. Charges
made for x-rays are for the production and interpretation of them. If
required, we can arrange copies of the x-rays but this would be at your
expense.

Radiographs and copies of all laboratory results, with a summary of the
history will be passed on, by request, to another Veterinary Surgeon should
the need arise. You may view your pet’s clinical notes on request by
appointment only. Please note it is your responsibility to provide us with
accurate contact details.

COMPLIMENTS/FEEDBACK

We are always pleased to receive compliments/feedback on the service we
provide.

COMPLAINTS AND STANDARDS

We hope to ensure you never have recourse to complain about the standards
of service received from us. However, if you feel that there is something
you wish to raise, please direct your comments within 28 days in writing,
to Mark Nelson. An acknowledgement will be sent by return and then a period
will elapse while the case is investigated and reports collated from those
staff involved. A reply in writing will follow, usually within 28 days
although the period may be longer if the Practice Manager of staff involved
are temporarily unavailable or delayed.

We will not tolerate any aggressive, or abusive behaviour to any staff
member, at any time. Any client behaving in such a way will be asked to
leave the premises immediately and will then be notified in writing that
they must find alternative veterinary cover.

VARIATIONS IN TERMS AND CONDITIONS OR BUSINESS

No addition or variation of these conditions will bind the Practice unless
specifically agreed in writing by the partners. Additionally, no agent or
person employed by or under contract with the Practice has the authority to
alter or vary these terms and conditions in any way.